Telephone-circuit breaker



Dec. 18, 1923. 31,477,939

W. A. BROCKMEIER TELEPHONE C IRCUIT BREAKER Filed Aug. 7, 1.922 2 Sheets-Sheet l L Jj I Snow I fo Dec. 18 1923. 1,4773%) W. A. BROC K MEIER TELEPHONE CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed Aug. '7 1.922 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Patented Dec. 1%, i923.

WILLIAM A. BRQGEiIJEEIEB, F YUTEA,

COLORADO.

TELEPHONE-CIRCUZT BREAKER.

Application filed August 7, 1922.

To all? "whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. WILLIAM A. B12001:- MEIER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Yuma, in the county of Yuma and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Telephone-Circuit Break-er, of which the following is a specification This invention relates to circuit breakers, and aims to provide novel means for cutting out telephones or the like, during electrical storms, to prevent the wires leading to the building in which thephone is positioned, from directing the electric current to the building.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for grounding the electric current, the grounding means being automatically thrown into its active position upon the cutting out of the telephone wires.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1' is a diagrammatical view disclosing the section of a building and the circuit breaker, together with the controlling means,

Figure 2 is a side elevational View of the circuit breaker.

Figure 3 is a plan View thereof.

Figure 4 is an end elevational view of the circuit breaker disclosing the grounding means and a Figure 5 is a sectional detail view taken on line 55 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference character 5 designates the wall of a building, in which the usual telephone is positioned, the reference character 6 designating the usual telephone wires.

The reference character '7 designates a telephone pole supplied with the usual cross arm 8 providing means for securing the telephone wires to the pole, suitable insulating means being provided for insulating the wires from the pole. Supported on the pole 7 is the circuit breaker, which is indicated generally by the reference character 9. The

Serial No. 580,248.

circuit breaker proper is box-like in formation and has a pivoted arm 10 mounted adjacent to one of the outer surfaces thereof, which arm has one end thereof extending rearwardly, and terminating at a point in spaced relation with one end of the box-like structure 9, the extended end of the arm being indicated at 11.

arried by the arm 10, are upwardly extending supporting members 12 which cross each other So that the ends thereof lie in spaced relation with each other to increase the supporting qualities thereof. The reference character 13 designates a contact arm which is secured to the upper ends of the supporting members 12 as clearly shown by Figure 2 of the drawings, one portion of the arm 13 normally resting in the switch member 14, which is also carried by the boxlike structure 9, so that the circuit to the telephone wires 15 will be completed, when the contact arm 13 engages the switch member 14.

A relatively long switch member is indicat-ed at 16, and is secured to the box-like structure 9 adjacent to one end thereof and has its lower extremity formed into an upwardly extended hook member 17 to receive the outer portion of the arm 10 and complete a circuit through the wire 18, secured to the upper end of the switch member 16 and the wire 19 carried at one end of the arm 10.

An insulating member 20' is carried on the outer end of the arm 10 to insulate the arm 10 from the switch member 16, when the arm 10 has been moved to its inactive position. The arm 10 is normally held in its active position, by means of the latch member 21 that has its lower end extended at right angles as at 22, where the same passes through a suitable opening and is disposed within the box-like structure 9 as shown by Figure 5.

The lower portion of the latch member normally lies in spaced relation with the walls of the box-like structure 9, to which the latch member is secured, and overlies a portion of the arm 10 to hold the same against the tension of the coiled spring 23, which is shown as having one end thereof connected to the arm, its opposite end being connected to the stop member 24.

This stop member is disposed at an angle with respect to the upper and lower surfaces of the bar-l ke s r c u e 9, to Contact with the arm 10, and restrict upward movement thereof. Pivotally supported at one end of the box-like structure 9 is a contact arm 25 normally held in its inactive position by meansof the coiled spring 26. A gro-umfl wire is indicated at 27 and is secured to the box-like housing 9 in a position to lie within the path of travel of the arm 25, so that when the arm 25 is moved to its active position, the circuit Will be grounded through the arm 25 and wire 27, it being understood that one end of the arm 25 moves into engagement with the member 28 to receive current therefrom to be grounded in a manner to be hereinafter more fully described.

A contact member 28 has connection with the switch member 16 and contacts with the arm 25 when the same is moved to its active position. It might be further stated that the contact arm 13 is in circuit with the main line, through the wire 29, and is of a Weight to normally urge the arm 10 to its inactive position, whereby when the latch member 21 is operated, the main circuit will be broken. I

It follows that as the arm 10 moves to its inactive position, the coiled spring 26 operates the contact arm 25, moving the same into contact with the members 27 and 28, to the end that the circuit is grounded. The latch member 21 is operated by means of the flexible member 30, which has connection with one end thereof, the opposite end of the flexible member 30 extending to a point within the building 5 where it has connection with the lever 81. As the lever 31 is pulled, the latch member is moved to its active position, allowing the coiled spring 23 to move the contact arm 10, to its inactive position.

A flexible operating member 32 has connection with the contact arm 25 and operates over the pulley 83, the flexible operating member being controlled by the lever 3 1, so that the contact arm 25 may be returned to its active position.

From the foregoing it will be seen that if it is desired to cut out the circuit to the telephone, it is only necessary to operate the flexible member 30 releasing the contact arm 10, whereupon the contact arm will automatically move to its inactive position, the grounding arm 25 automatically moving to its active position to ground the electric current through the member 27. 'When it is desired to return the s itch arm 10 to its normal position, the flexible member 32" is pulled causing the arm 10 to move over the latch member 21.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is 1. A circuit breaker including a pivoted contact arm, a switch arm having a hook formed at one end thereof toaccommodate the contact arm to normally complete a circuit through the switch arm, means for moving the contact arm to its inactive position, and a circuit grounding arm adapted to automatically move to its active position to ground the circuit. 7

2. A circuit breaker including contact arms normally held in circuit with the wires of a telephone system, a latch member contacting with one of the contact arms for normally holding the contact arm in its active position, a pivoted circuit grounding arm associated with the first mentioned arm, means for moving the first mentioned arm to its inactive position, and means for automatically moving the grounding arm to its active position.

8. A circuit breaker including a contact arm, a'eo-ntact member adapted to accommodate one end of the contact arm to normally complete a circuit through the wires of a telephone system, a latch member for holding the contact arm'into engagement with the contact member, manually controlled means for releasing the contact arm. and a grounding arm adapted to automatically move to its active position when the contact arm is moved to its inactive position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, 1 have hereto affixed my signature 1n the presence of two wltnesses.

WILLIAM A. BROCKMEIER. Witnesses CARL J. HooH, Rosn FINKBINER. 

